AFTER THE CREDITS:  Amok Time Making Amends
by Ster J
Summary: Spock finds that he must make amends to Christine.


NEW TOS: AFTER THE CREDITS: Amok Time [PG] S, Ch 1/1

Title: AFTER THE CREDITS: Amok Time

Author: Ster Julie

Contact:

Codes: TOS; Spock, Chapel; h/c?

Word count: 1,000 exactly!

Rated: PG

Part: 1/1

Summary: Spock realizes that he needs to make amends.

A/N: Thank you to the Vulcan Language Dictionary for the correct spelling of _qom'i_, and to the Czech resource _Star Trek Sickbay - TOS - Transcripts_ for the dialogue for "Amok Time."

Disclaimer: Don't own Star Trek, or much of anything else, for that matter. I'll put everything back when I'm through, honest.

—ooOoo—

"Come on, Spock," Captain Kirk said as they took their leave of Doctor McCoy. "Let's go mind the store."

Spock's knowledge of Earth idioms had increased exponentially since he met James Kirk and Leonard McCoy, so he didn't need to question Kirk's seemingly erroneous perception that the Bridge was but a vendor's stall. But as he followed his commanding officer out of Sickbay, Spock puzzled over the meaning of the new expression he had heard the good doctor use, "In a pig's eye."

During his ruminating, Spock's acute sense of hearing caught the sound of instruments being stowed with more force than prudent. He turned to the sound and found Nurse Chapel shutting a cabinet with a bang as she muttered something under her breath.

"'Nurse, would you mind, please?'" she mimicked bitterly. "Well, I certainly _do_ mind! I was dismissed like a child! How can they expect me to care for my patients if I'm not privy to crucial information?" She paused to slam an empty carton into the 'cycler. "I was so worried about him and now they just dismiss me…"

Spock paused. The nurse was obviously in distress, and it was obviously because of him.

"A moment, please, Captain," the Vulcan asked quietly. The Captain followed his First Officer's gaze over to Nurse Chapel.

"Take all the time you need, Spock," Kirk said, sensing that Spock would need more than just a moment for _this_ conversation. "I'll see you on the Bridge."

"Understood," Spock replied. He moved closer to the nurse's workstation. "Christine?" he called softly.

Nurse Chapel jumped at the sound of her given name on Spock's lips. She schooled her features as best she could before turning to face the Vulcan.

"Yes, Mr. Spock?" she said, anxiously hoping that no remnants of her petty thoughts remained.

Spock found that he was touched by Chapel's feeble attempts at control.

"I wish to apologize to you," the Vulcan said so sincerely that Chapel's heart ached for him.

"Apologize?" she feigned. "For what?" _For the humiliation-by-soup?_ her mind supplied. _For making me the laughingstock of the ship? Can I help it that I was worried about you? That when the captain came into sickbay looking dead, I feared the worst for you? _

Spock struggled with his own inner demons. He could still hear himself yelling, yelling at the woman, "What is this?" as she screamed. "Poking, prying. If I want anything from you, I'll ask for it!"

"First, I frightened you," Spock admitted in a bare whisper, "then I belittled you in front of the crew." He lowered his head in shame. "No one deserves that kind of treatment, especially not you. You have been nothing but kind to me." Spock raised contrite eyes to Chapel. "I am truly sorry, Christine," he confessed.

Chapel was touched by Spock's genuineness. She dismissed his apology with a watery smile.

"You weren't yourself," she excused.

Spock shook his head. "On the contrary," he corrected, "I was myself, my basest self."

Chapel cast her eyes about, desperate to break the uncomfortable silence. She changed subjects.

"I didn't realize that you were married, Mr. Spock," she observed. "No wonder you resisted my advances."

"I was endeavoring to remain faithful to my commitment," he said bleakly.

Chapel smiled sadly. "That was so very noble of you."

Spock knew that Chapel melancholy was because she was still mourning the loss of her own fiancé, Dr. Roger Korby. She knew what it was like to be separated from one's betrothed, waiting faithfully for years only to find oneself alone in the end.

Spock shook his head again. "Not so noble," he remarked. "When you returned to my cabin to tell me that we were bound for Vulcan, I … tried to seduce you."

Chapel was confused. "You did? When?" she asked.

Then she remembered Spock's voice as he said, "I had a most startling dream. You were trying to tell me something, but I couldn't hear you… It would be illogical for us to protest against our natures. Don't you think?"

"_That_ was a seduction?" she puzzled, returning to the present.

Spock looked at Chapel sheepishly. "I obviously need to work on my 'pick up lines' now that I am no longer married," he admitted.

Nurse Chapel's face registered her surprise. "You're not married anymore?" she asked. "What happened?"

"T'Pring rejected me," Spock replied bitterly, "in favor of another."

"Oh, Mister Spock!" Chapel exclaimed. "How awful for you!"

"Perhaps the fault is mine for not being more present to her," Spock considered.

"And perhaps she is just a foolish, cruel person with no honor and with decidedly questionable taste!" Chapel declared.

Spock was hard-pressed to hide the smile that threatened to burst upon his face. He never would admit to having something so _q'omi_ as an ego, but perhaps he was lying to himself. T'Pring's rejection had wounded his very masculinity (especially since his replacement was so un-esthetically pleasing!)

Spock looked at Nurse Chapel, at _Christine_, and recognized a person of great passion and compassion, an intelligent woman with honor and a noble beauty, a nurturer who was already mending his fractured, rejected self. He found Christine's unconditional acceptance of him to be a balm to soothe that wound.

Nurse Chapel was shocked when Spock took her hand and raised it to his face, as if he was going to kiss it. Instead, he lifted her hand to his forehead in a sign of respect.

"This one is grateful your forgiveness," he said formally. "This one is grateful for your devoted service."

Christine smiled shyly in response.

Spock bowed his farewell and resumed his trip to the Bridge. He considered his conversation with Christine in the light of all that had recently happened. Spock promised himself that he would not leap into any new relationships just yet. He recognized a need to re-center himself in the Disciplines before pursuing a new spouse.

Spock only hoped that Christine would still be waiting for him in the end.

END


End file.
